Eco-Expedition to the Eastern Shore
October 2005 Wrap-up
On Sunday, November 23rd, 2005, a team of sixteen participants
gathered to embark upon Audubon Society of Western PA’s
Eco-Expedition to the Eastern Shore. For the following six days,
the participant team scoured the coastal ecosystems of Virginia
studying the birds, animals, and habitats endemic to the area.
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Assateague Island,
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, and Wallops Island were
among the destinations. A complete trip report will be included
in the January – February 2006 Bulletin, but the following
pictures tell some of the tales.
Of the numerous species of shorebirds found during the week,
Greater Yellowlegs were relatively abundant. This pair was
photographed at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Photo: B.
Shema |
Also common along the Eastern Shore, but not nearly as
abundant, American Oystercatchers were found feeding along oyster
beds. Note that this bird has a fresh oyster in its bill! Photo:
B. Shema |
Many birds were found unexpectedly due to a Nor’easter
on Monday and Tuesday. The team was fortunate to find a large
group of Marbled Godwits resting with hundreds of Willets. Photo:
B. Shema |
Among the favorite birds found during the week were three
American Avocets in winter plumage. Note the difference in bill
morphology shown in this picture. The female (on the left) has a
bill which is more “upturned” than the male. Photo:
B. Shema |
Several Night Herons were observed throughout the trip,
including this juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron posing on a
dead limb. Photo: B. Shema |
As described by the trip co-leader Brian Shema, this
juvenile Little Blue Heron looks much different than its adult
counterparts. Little Blue Herons remain in a white plumage for
one year, before molting into the deep-blue adult feathers.
Photo: B. Shema |
Much of the ecosystem along the eastern shore is comprised
of coastal salt marshes. The marshes provide valuable habitat to
several bird species, but also serve as a first line of defense
from coastal floods. Photo: B. Shema |
Merlins were plentiful and were found in varying habitats
throughout the week. This Merlin, with a recent kill in her
talons, was found along the North Road of Assateague Island, a
restricted area which was opened for our group. Photo: B.
Shema |
Of course a visit to Assateague Island is not complete
without a photo of the wild ponies. Photo: B. Shema. |
And finally, Snow Geese. The “swarms” of snow
geese is a sight like no other. Between five and ten thousand
snow geese converged upon the coast during the week. |
We would like to thank the participants of the Eco-Expedition. This trip is one that we will remember for some time, and each of your individual experiences and contributions made the week a truly enjoyable experience. Watch for more Eco-expeditions in the coming years, you never know where we may travel!
Here is a complete bird list
Bird List:
156 Species, 24,520 individual birds (conservative estimate based
on the two leaders estimates), 190 life birds (cumulative total
of the 10 birders who keep life lists).
Red-throated Loon – 5+
Common Loon – 35+
Pied-billed Grebe – 6
Horned Grebe – 1
Greater Shearwater – 20+
Wilson’s Storm Petrel – 2
Northern Gannet – 50+
Double-crested Cormorant – 500–1000+
Great Blue Heron – 25+
Great Egret – 100+
Snowy Egret – 25+
Little Blue Heron – 8
Tricolored Heron – 5+
Green Heron – 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron – 5+
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron – 3+
Snow Goose – 5,000+
Canada Goose – 1000+
Brant – 200+
Wood Duck – 35+
Green-winged Teal – 43
American Black Duck – 500+
Mallard – 250+
Northern Pintail – 200+
Blue-winged Teal – 20+
Northern Shoveler – 4
Gadwall – 5+
Eurasian Wigeon – 1
American Wigeon – 5+
Redhead – 3+
Ring-necked Duck – 1
Black Scoter – 250+
Surf Scoter – 2500+
Bufflehead – 2
Hooded Merganser – 30
Red-breasted Merganser – 1
Ruddy Duck – 20+
Turkey Vulture – 100+
Black Vulture – 50+
Osprey – 1
Bald Eagle – 25+
Northern Harrier – 25+
Sharp-shinned Hawk – 25+
Cooper’s Hawk - 2
Red-tailed Hawk – 3
American Kestrel – 10+
Merlin – 20+
Peregrine Falcon – 4+
Wild Turkey – 5
Northern Bobwhite – 8-10
Clapper Rail – 4+
Black-bellied Plover – 10+
American Golden Plover – 3+
Semipalmated Plover – 100+
Killdeer – 3
American Oystercatcher – 15+
American Avocet – 3
Greater Yellowlegs – 50+
Lesser Yellowlegs – 20+
Willet – 225+
Marbled Godwit – 11
Ruddy Turnstone – 2
Red Knot – 20+
Sanderling – 500+
Semipalmated Sandpiper – 500+
Least Sandpiper – 200+
White-rumped Sandpiper – 2
Pectoral Sandpiper – 3
Dunlin – 1500+
Short-billed Dowitcher – 100+
Long-billed Dowitcher – 1
Laughing Gull – 500+
Bonaparte’s Gull – 1
Ring-billed Gull – 500+
Herring Gull – 100+
Lesser Black-backed Gull – 6
Great Black-backed Gull – 55+
Caspian Tern – 100+
Royal Tern – 300+
Common Tern – 1
Forster’s Tern – 1000+
Black Tern - 1
Black Skimmer – 400+
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo – 1
Eastern Screech Owl – 1
Great-horned Owl – 1
Barred Owl – 1
Belted Kingfisher – 25+
Red-headed Woodpecker – 2+
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 20+
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – 8+
Downy Woodpecker – 20+
Hairy Woodpecker – 5+
Northern Flicker – 25+
Pileated Woodpecker – 5+
Eastern Phoebe – 10
Blue Jay American Crow – 250+
Fish Crow - 11
Horned Lark – 3
Tree Swallow – 2500+
Barn Swallow – 1
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch – 2-3
White-breasted Nuthatch – 5+
Brown-headed Nuthatch – 10+
Brown Creeper – 5
Carolina Wren - 11
House Wren – 7
Winter Wren – 9
Marsh Wren – 3
Golden-crowned Kinglet – 100+
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 30+
Eastern Bluebird – 17
Gray-cheeked Thrush – 1
Hermit Thrush – 10
American Robin
Gray Catbird – 5+
Northern Mockingbird – 10+
Brown Thrasher – 5
European Starling
Nashville Warbler – 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler – 1000+
Black-throated Green Warbler – 1
Palm Warbler – 50+
American Redstart – 1
Common Yellowthroat – 2
Wilson’s Warbler – 1
Eastern Towhee – 5+
American Tree Sparrow – 2
Chipping Sparrow – 50+
Clay-colored Sparrow – 1
Field Sparrow – 20+
Vesper Sparrow – 20+
Savannah Sparrow – 20+
(Ipswich Population) – 3+
Seaside Sparrow – 2+
Fox Sparrow – 3+
Song Sparrow – 50+
Lincoln’s Sparrow – 1
Swamp Sparrow – 2+
White-throated Sparrow – 50+
White-crowned Sparrow – 2+
Dark-eyed Junco – 20+
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird – 500+
Eastern Meadowlark – 20+
Common Grackle – 1000+
Boat-tailed Grackle – 500+
Brown-headed Cowbird – 75+
Baltimore Oriole – 1
House Finch – 18
American Goldfinch – 100+
House Sparrow